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Presidential Spokesman Alpha Khan has stated during an interview on Friday with Liberty TV that Marampa Mines, which has a private plane stationed at the Lungi International Airport, has on several occasions lent its private jet to President Julius Maada Bio for overseas trips.
“Marampa usually lends the President its jet for overseas trips. I have flown on the Marampa Mines jet with the President to the United States on one occasion,” he said, noting that providing the aircraft is part of the company’s corporate social responsibility efforts.
Khan maintained that President Bio does not own a private jet and has no intention of acquiring one. He further disclosed that during his time serving under former President Ernest Bai Koroma, the former President also had the opportunity to borrow a private plane from a friend for official travel.
Speaking on President Bio’s current trip to the United States for a lecture engagement, Khan said it was possible that an individual or organization may have sponsored the trip, while also acknowledging that the Government could have funded it.
He added that diplomacy and international engagements are expensive and should not be viewed as cheap undertakings.
